Democrats unveil bill to raise minimum wage to $15

By

Darryl Coote

Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks during an event to announce the introduction of the "Raise the Wage Act" on Wednesday. The bill would raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2024. Photo by Alex Edelman/UPI | License Photo

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during an event to announce the introduction of the "Raise the Wage Act," which mirrors a bill he introduced in 2017. Photo by Alex Edelman/UPI | License Photo

Jan. 16 (UPI) -- With the support of 181 co-sponsors, congressional Democrats introduced legislation Wednesday to gradually increase the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2024.

Unveiled by Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, and colleagues, the Raise the Wage Act aims to increase the paychecks of some 40 million minimum-wage workers by giving them yearly raises until they reach $15 an hour, at which point they would continue to rise with the median wage.

The bill, which has been introduced several times previously in various forms, will also see the wages of tipped employees and workers under age 20 rise to $15 an hour by 2027.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the bill will open opportunities for families while spurring the country's economic growth.

"Today's bill signals that House Democrats would rather promote Bernie Sanders' extreme and unworkable campaign platform than accept that Republican pro-growth policies deliver real results to the American people," she said.

Shannon Meade, vice president of Public Policy and Workforce, said in a statement that to compensate for the increase, small businesses would have to lay people off.

"Should Congress drastically increase operating costs, then these small businesses will be forced to hire fewer people, reduce hours, or even close their doors," Meade said.

The bill follows moves by several states to independently increase their own minimum wage to $15 an hour.

On Monday, a state Senate subcommittee panel advanced legislation to increase Virginia's minimum wage to $15 by 2021 while the District of Columbia will hit the mark by 2023.